Deportivo signs Marchena

Carlos Marchena is now a Deportivo player, having been signed from Villareal, where he's played for the last two seasons and where his contract was due to run until June 2013. Deportivo confirmed that the veteran centre-back, aged 33, arrived in La Coruña on Monday and will be unveiled at the Riazor stadium, presuming he passes a medical.

The Deportivo La Coruña stadium will open its doors to the fans so they can give a warm welcome to the player, who is also comfortable in midfield as well as his usual position in defence, and who brings valuable experience with him, something that the team has needed since the Argentine Diego Colotto left for Espanyol.

The Andalusia-born player, who was a European champion in 2008 and World Cup winner in 2010 with Spain, has put an end to his spell with Villarreal, a team he joined after his last title with the Spain squad.

With his signing, the team from La Coruña only needs to bring in one striker to complete the squad that José Luis Oltra will lead during the 2012-2013 season.

As well as Marchena, Deportivo has signed the Portuguese players André Santos, Pizzi, Roderick Miranda and Nélson Oliveira, as well as extending the loan of Diogo Salomão, also Portuguese, and completing the transfer of the Brazilian full-back Evaldo Fabiano.